Acquired wisdom has always put Sgt. Pepper at the head of the class but it was Revolver that truly signalled The Beatles' sea change from a functional band to a studio-based ensemble. These changes began before Rubber Soul but came to fruition on Revolver which took an astonishing 300 hours to produce far more than any rock record before it.The making of Revolver hunkered down in Abbey Road with George Martin is in itself a great Beatles story but would be nothing if the results weren't so impactful. More than even Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds Revolver fed directly into the rock 'n' rollzeitgeist and its influence could be heard everywhere: from the psychedelic San Francisco sound (Jefferson Airplane Grateful Dead); to the first wave of post-blues hard rock (Sabbath Zeppelin); through movie soundtracks and pretty much everything that followed it including every generation of guitar-based pop music and even heavy metal. More than any record before or after Revolver was the game-changer and this is finally the detailed telling of its storied recording and enormous impact.

First-ever look at the intertwining outrageous lives of three rock legends.When Lou Reed and Iggy Pop first met David Bowie in the fall of 1971 Bowie was just another English musician passing through New York City. Lou was still recovering from the collapse of the Velvet Underground and Iggy had already been branded a loser... Yet within two years they completely changed the face of popular music with a decadent glamour and street-level vibe. With Bowie producing Reed's Transformer album was a worldwide hit spinning off the sleazy street anthem Walk on the Wild Side. Iggy's Raw Power mixed by Bowie provided the mean-spirited high-octane blueprint for Punk. Bowie boosted elements from both Iggy and Reed to create his gender-bending rock idol Ziggy Stardust.Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell is the story of this friendship and the incredible productivity and debauchery that emerged from it. Presented here for the very first time are their stories interwoven in a triple helix of sexuality glam rock and drugs - as seen through the eyes of the people who made it happen.

Woven of flashbacks by musicians artists authors radicals and folks who “were there” in the '60s this book by author Alan Bisbort (The White Rabbit and Other Delights) and Rolling Stone staffer ParkePuterbaugh travels through: San Francisco's rock revolution with bands like the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead; the British underground scene with Pink Floyd and Cream; the phenomenon of The Beatles' “Sgt.Pepper”; the dawn of psychedelia in Los Angeles with the Doors and Frank Zappa; and rock's festival years from Monterey to the Isle of Wight. It also explores psychedelic literature journalism posters films fashion lingo and more plus the impact of politics and the rebuff of radicals such as Abbie Hoffman Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg. In full color throughout the book features lots of photos a helpful index and a foreword by HowardKaylan of The Turtles.

The Tortured Art of Warren Zevon-Warren Zevon songs are like chapters in a great American novel. Its story lies in the heart of his – and our – psyche. The lines are blurred. We never seem to know if we are looking in a mirror or peering through a window; we only know that when we listen we see something. The music sets the scene – his voice a striking baritone its narrator our guide through a labyrinth of harrowing narratives. The plot unfolds without subtlety; each musical and lyrical arc awakens imagination.In Accidentally Like a Martyr: The Tortured Art of Warren Zevon music journalist James Campion presents 13 essays on seminal Zevon songs andalbums that provide context to the themes inspirations and influence of one of America's most literate songwriters. In-depth interviews with Zevon's friends and colleagues provide first-person accounts of how the music was lived composed recorded and performed.Longtime fans of this most uniquely tortured artist as well as those who want to discover his work for the first time will get inside the mind talent and legacy of the wildly passionate Excitable Boy.

Rikky Rooksby's revised and updated bestseller explores more than 200 classic riffs from Cream and Led Zeppelin through Nirvana and Soundgarden to Metallica U2 and the White Stripes. The first half of the book analyzes classic rock riffs and reveals the stories behind their creation. Easy-to-read text describes and explains each riff supported by illustrations and a CD of audio examples. The book's second section shows how to construct great riffs and why they work. Readers learn how to shape a melody integrate a guitar riff with the rest of a song enhance a riff with effects and work with intervals and scales to build riffs.

This how-to guide is ideal for musicians who are new to the complexities of digital recording as well as for those who want to keep up with the fast-changing technology. Providing detailed guidance on using hard disk and DATtechnologies stand-alone workstations computer-based DAWs surround sound 5.1 and more plus related hardware and software-based tools such as Softsynths plug-ins and software samplers this book also surveys two-track audiorecorders/editors host-based audio/MIDI programs and CD mastering. Its analysis of emerging technology helps readers make informed decisions for creating and operating a cost-effective professional-level digital studio at home.

The Fender Electric Guitar Book: 3rd Edition marks the 60th anniversary of Fender. This fantastic book tells the history of Fender and gives clear collectors details for all models ever made.With superb pictures and facts about guitars you may have never heard of or seen. This is truly the book to have for any Guitar fanatic of Fender enthusiast.

How to Get Play and Keep the Gig-Packed with proven solutions developed from real-life experiences this book by Gig columnist Billy Mitchell analyzes both the business and creative challenges of successful gigging. Articles on specific issues withlanding planning and playing gigs are backed by firsthand interviews with musicians agents producers and others who have handled these problems on the road and in the studio. This well-rounded reference offers practical adviceand inspiring insight on everything from curbing stage fright to controlling finances.“This book is a must for young musicians ... it's a great experience.”– Maurice White Founder/Leader/Producer Earth Wind & Fire

Get down with the music that mixes R&B and soul with a little rock'n'roll. This newest addition to the Third Ear – The Essential Listening Companion series traces funk from its James Brown roots through today's groove withgroups like the Red Hot Chili Peppers – folks who “got on the good foot.” Alongside detailed artist biographies anecdotes and discographies this guide reviews and rates 1 500 recordings that illustrate eachband's sound and musical impact. Artists covered include Average White Band George Clinton Herbie Hancock Rick James Chaka Khan Curtis Mayfield The Meters Prince Sly Stone Tower of Power War Wild Cherry and many more.

Lyrics sheds light on all aspects of lyric writing for music and will make songwriters feel more confident and creative when they tackle lyrics. It's perfect for all songwriters: those who don't like their own lyrics and find them difficult to write experienced writers looking for a creative edge and those offering lyrics to set to music in a partnership.Topics include channeling personal experiences into lyrics overcoming writer's block the right lyrics for a bridge the separation between lyrics and poetry exploring imagery and metaphor avoiding clichés and more. The book also offers tips on the various styles of lyrics from protests spirituals andconfessionals to narratives and comic songs.

How Yes's Masterpiece Defined Prog Rock-The first half of the 1970s was an especially fertile period for British progressive rock laying claim to classics such as Tarkus Selling England by the Pound Larks' Tongues in Aspic The Dark Side of the Moon and Thick as a Brick. Collectively these and other works represent the best British progressive rock had to offer. Yet it's Yes's 1972 three-track masterpiece Close To The Edge that presents a snapshot of an adventurous rock band at the peak of its powers daring to push itself musically both as individuals and as a unit. Yes had previously penned epic tracks for The Yes Album and Fragile but nothing on themagnitude of the musical gems appearing on Close To The Edge. It's something of a small miracle – perhaps even magic – that the virtuoso quintet crafted such a cohesive and compelling album during an often-hectic recording process that very nearly relegated this monumental work to the dustbin of history. So potent was the power of Close To The Edge that even before its release it had forever shifted the personal dynamics of the group and the course of progressive rock.  For this absorbing chronicle acclaimed music journalist Will Romano draws upon dozens of original and archived interviews. This book also features rare photographs and an extensive discography all of which reveal why Close To The Edge is the ultimate prog rock album.